Breaking: Jody Williams To Exit BMI

Jody Williams, BMI’s Vice President of Creative in Nashville since 2006, announced today that he will leave the company at the end of this year. Williams will continue to serve as a consultant for BMI throughout 2020 and plans to also return to the world of music publishing, forming a new company. BMI will announce a successor to Williams at a later date.

Trisha Yearwood has spent much of the past 12 years vastly expanding her multi-faceted business empire, as an author of three New York Times bestselling cookbooks, and curator and namesake for lines of cookware, furniture, home accessories, food products and cocktail mixes. September will see the 15th season premiere of her Emmy-winning cooking show Trisha’s Southern Kitchen on Food Network.

She spent the last few years on tour with husband and superstar Garth Brooks, and along the way, the pair recorded the holiday album Christmas Together. Earlier this year, she demonstrated her love of big band classics with Let’s Be Frank, a collection of Sinatra covers, as well as the original “For The Last Time” (a co-write with Brooks).

But on Friday (Aug. 30), Yearwood returns to her musical roots—a gifted vocalist performing gorgeous music—with Every Girl, her long awaited, first full-length country solo album since 2007’s Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love.

Creative Nation has inked a publishing and artist development deal with artist/songwriter Jonathan Hutcherson, adding him to their roster.

Hutcherson, a 20-year-old Kentucky native, auditioned for Season 10 of NBC’s The Voice in 2016 and was part of Pharrell Williams’ team. He later moved to Nashville to pursue music full time.

Creative Nation was launched in 2011 by Luke and Beth Laird. Luke is a Grammy-winning producer and ACM and BMI Songwriter of the Year, with 23 No. 1 singles to his credit. Music executive Beth previously worked at BMG Music Publishing, Windswept Music Publishing, and BMI, before launching Creative Nation. The company has had 15 No. 1 songs and more than 50 radio singles. Creative Nation’s roster includes Alec Bailey, Barry Dean, Bear Rinehart, Casey Brown, Hutcherson, Kassi Ashton, Lori McKenna, Luke Laird, Steve Moakler, Travis Wood and Tyler Johnson.

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